Slug casting machine and type bars cast thereby



May 12, 1931; 1,804,517

SLUG CASTING MACHINE AND TYPE BARS CAST THEREBY J. R. ROGERS ET AL FiledSept. 25, 1928 a Sheets-Sheet 2 1v VENTORS A. T O E X;

y 12, 1931. J. 'R. ROGERS ET AL 1,804,517

SLUG CASTING MACHINE AND TYPE BARS CA ST THEREBY Filed Sept. 25, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 3 W HIMWH m Q Q Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT:OFFICE JOHN R. ROGERS AND EDWARD A. SYTZ, OF BROOKLYN, YORK, ASSIGNORSTO MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A'CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SLUG CASTINGMACHINE AND TYPE BARS CAST THEREBY Application filed September 25, 1928.Serial No.308,197.

This invention relates to slug casting machines, such as linotypemachines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patentto O. Mergentha-ler No. 436,532,

; wherein a type bar or slug is cast in a slotted mold up against acomposed line of matrices whichproduce the type characters thereon. Inthese machines the matrices are usually provided with two type producingcharacters or cavities, one a roman and the other an italic, these twocharacters being arranged in superposed relation on the matrix body andseparated from each other by an intervening wall or partition, and it isthe practice to compose the matricesin line at an up per or lower level,or both, as may be required, in order to present the type producingcharacters of one kind or the other in registration with the mold slot.In casting slugs from such two letters matrices, it is apparent that thewidth of the mold slot is limited by the height of the matrix charactersplus the thickness of the dividing wall or partition between the twosuperposed characters, as otherwise the mold slot would open into theunselected matrix cavities and allow the metal to overflow from themold, producing a defective slug and'a squirt at the front. lVhileordinarily the thickness of acast slug corresponds to the height of thetype characters thereon, it is common practice to cast the slug of anadded thickness for spacing or leading purposes, say for example to casta line of 12 point'type characters on a 14 point body slug; In the caseof a line of 14 point characters however there is no margin left forleading purposes and hence it is only possible to cast a 14 point typeline on a 14 point body, or substantial: ly so. c

In view of the foregoing limitations as to the width of the mold slot,when it is necessary to produce a wide spacing of the type lines,separate leads or blank slugs ofthe required thickness must be insertedin the printing form between the successive slugs, this practicerequiring considerable time and labor and entailing extra expense in thecasting, storage and handling of the leads.

This is particularly true in large printing ofiic-es, such as the UnitedStates Government Printing Oilice, where the number of leads thusrequired to be cast and carried in stock runs into hundreds ofthousands. In this connection it may be statedcthat the spacing of linesin certain classes of printed matter, such as congressional bills, isrequired to be as much as 12 point, and this in the case of 14 pointtypecharacters, sothat, as will be apparent,it is altogether out oi thequestion to cast such slugs ter matrices with the necessary added thickness, or in other words to cast a 14 point type line on a 26 point slugbod-y. Indeed since the thickness of the dividing wall between thematrix characters is somewhat less than 2 point it is never possible tocast slugs of a body dimension greaterthan the height of the matrixcharacters the dividing wall.

In attempting to overcome the foregoing defects it has been proposed tocast the leads or blank slugs automatically after the casting of eachprinting slug and to assemble them in the galley in proper order. Thisscheme however has not proved entirely satisfactory because the castingof the leads between successive slugs slows up the operation of themachine and curtails production to such an extent as to make itimpracticable Another attempt has contemplated the utilization of therear jaw of the first elevator as part of the casting mold, it beingproposed to cut away the upper wall of the mold and cause the elevatorjaw to enter the mold and shut 0e communication between the superposedmatrix characiers (see the Murray Patent No. 1,567,857 of December 29,1925). Besides possessing certain meplus the thickness of chanicaldefects, this scheme is also obiectionable inthat it requires a specialform of first elevator which is incapable of cooperating'with theregular form of mold and thus limr's the machine to the casting of thespecial leaded slugs-or else necessitates a reorganization or the partsto adapt the machine to cast slugs of ordinary or standard forms.

The'present invention aims to solve the problem involveclwithout givingrise to the from two let I and beyond tne line of matrix char? iers.

objections above mentioned or any others of a troublesome nature. Tothis end it is proposed to cast each type bar or slug at its extremeopposite ends with transverse laterally projecting spacing ribs of thedesired width, these ribs being located beyond the ends of the line ofprinting characters. In accomplishing this, the casting mold is madewith its slot extending beyond the ends of the line of matrix characterswhereby to produce a slug bearing a line of printing characters withblanl'end portions, and one-of the walls of the mold slot (preferablythe upper wall) is formed with a pair of fore and-aft grooves locatedbeyond the ends of the line of matrix characters to produce thespacing'ribs on the blank end portions of the slug. WYhile such slugcould be produced by assembling blank matrices or quads at the beginningand end of each composed matrix line, it is preferred, as herein shownand described, to omit such quads and the composed line to the mold inthe usual way, that is to say, with the end type producing matrices indirect contact with'ihe customary clamping jaws between which the lineis justified, so as in that way to enable the type lines to be cast offull length as ordinarily if desired. 7 In such preferred embodimeni; ofthe invention the blank end portions of the slug are produced byextending the mold slot beyond the matrix engaging faces of the twoclamping jaws; and the trans verse spacing ribs are cast ontothese blankendv portions of the slug by locating the foreand-aft grooves of theupper. mold wall in the'extended portions of the niold slot or be.- hindthe clamping jaws. As is well understood in the rt, these clamping jawspresent broad solid faces which, during the casing operation, lie flatlyup against the mold, so that it is perfectly feasible to cast the metalagainst them in producing the ribbed extensibns on the slug; Since therib castni grooves are located behind the clamping jaws is easv to thatthere is no limitation as to the width of the ribs which can be castupon the slugs. or at any rate no such limitation as would if the ribswere cast on the slugs at some point between the ofthe line'of matrixcharacters, being remembered that each matrix is formed with twosuperposed ma-rix cavities which are se"arated from each other by-arelatively thin wall or partition.

As will be understood, the spacing ribs cast on the slugs function inthe same way as separate leads inserted between adjoining slugs, so thatthe mere casting t the 1mproved slugs automaticallytakes care ot therequired spacin or leading when the slugs f) are assembled in a printingform. Separate leads are" therefore entirely dispensed with, as well asthe timeand labor involved to present in inserting and removing them inand from the printing form. Furthermore no change is required to be madein any part of the machine except in the mold itself, and even that canbe converted back into regular form by changing the cap portion and theend liners. However, since it is the usual practice to provide eachmachine with two or more molds, the machine may be. quickly adapted forregular work simply by adjusting the mold wheel or disk to bring astandard mold into active position,

As a further feature of the invention it is proposed toform the slugs sothat when they are assembled in a printing form they will be lockedagainst relative endwise movement and thereby be maintained always inproper parallel relation. As a simple and convenient way to accomplishthis, the. two mold liners (which constitute the end walls of the moldslot) are provided on their inner or casting faces adjacent the lowermold wall with fore-and-afttongues which produce transverse notches orrecesses in the blank end portions of each slug, these notches orrecesses being located and dimensioned to receive the transverse spacingribs of a preceding slug when the slugs are locked up in the printingform. r

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a type bar or slug constructed inaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2'is a cross section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a printing form made up of a plurality of theimproved type bars or slugs; I V

Fig. at is a front or face view of a slug casting mold constructed inaccordance with the invention Fig. 5 is a similar view of a composedline of matrices in casting relation to the mold and showing the line asheld between the two clamping jaws;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line -6 of Fig. 5 and showingin elevation one of the matrices of the composed line in its lowerposition with its upper cavity in register with the mold'slot;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 5 and showinganother matrix of the composed line in its upper position with its lowercavity in register with the mold slot;

7 Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective exploded view of the improved mold showing therib producing grooves in the cap portion and the notch producingtongueson the liners.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, the improved type bar or slug thereinillustrated comprises a body portion A hearing on its upper edge a lineof printing characters B, these characters being alined at their top, asusual,

[iii

the latter instead presents outlying blank end portions C. 0n thefollowing (or what duringcasting is the upper) side of the slug the endportions C are provided with transverse laterally projecting spacingribs D, these ribs being of the same height as the slug body andpresenting their'outer faces flush with the ends of the slug body or theblank portions C. While the ribs might be of uniform thick ness, theyare preferably tapered from the slug body toward theouter edges, shown,this being intended to facilitate the ejection of theslug from thecasting mold. For the same reasonit' is preferred also to taper theribsfrom the upper edge of the slug toward the lower edge thereof, asbest seen in Fig. 8, where the slug is shown in the mold priorto'ejection. On the following side of the slug the end portions C areformed with transverse right angular notches or recesses E located inthe planes of the spacing ribs 1) and presenting their open sides at theends of the slug body throughoutthe height thereof.

Fig. 3 shows a series of the improved slugs assembled together in aprinting form, and it will be noted that the ribs D of each slug fitinto the notches E of the next succeeding slug, the ribs being made of awidth to pro duce the desired spacing F between the slugs, say, a 12point spacing, and the recesses E serving by their engagement with theribs to prevent relative endwise movement of the slugs and thus tomaintain them in proper parallel relation and in proper alinement. Sincethe outer faces of the ribs Dare flush withtheendsof the slug bodies,the opposite ends of the spaces F will be closed by the spacing ribs andthe whole printing foriir may be handled as if the slug had no ribs orwere separated by the customary blank slugs or leads. It will beunderstood of course that the width of theri-bs D may be varied, dc-

sired, depending upon the amount of sp cing required to be producedbetween the printing lines, and furthermore that the width of the ribsmay be independent of the thickness of the 'body portions of the slugs,which naturally depend for most part upon the height 'or size of thetype characters cast thereon.

In the drawings the slugs are shown of full length and as suitable forproducingtype lines of 1% point with a 12 point spacing between the.lines.

Figs. 5 to 8 are different views showing the composed line of matrices Xand spaces Y in casting relation to the other parts. As best shown inFigs. 6 and 7, the matrices X are each formed with two superposed typeproducing characters'or cavities a2 and m separated from eachother by anintervening wall and the two vise jaws H and H between which orpartition of. In the present instance some of the matrices of thecomposed line are supported in the. first elevator G' (which is ofregular form) at a lower level, as in Fig. 6,

to present their upper or roman characters in operative position, whileothers are supportedin the elevator at an upper level, as in Fig. 7, topresent their lower or italic characters in operative position. The consruction of the casting parts and their mode of operation are so wellknown that a detailed description thereof would be superfluous. Suthceit to say that after the composed line of matrices has been transferredto the first elevator, the latter moves down-t wardly into the positionshown in Figs. 0 7 to present the composed line between the line isjustified in the customary way, the

right-hand jaw H being mounted in a fixed-L position as customary, andthe left-hand jaw H being adjustable, as usual, to accommodate matrixililQS of'dilferent lengths, altho in the drawings it is shown as setfor lines of maximum length. During casting the slug casting mold isclosed at the front by the composed line of matrices and the two visejaws and at the rear by the mouthpiece J of a melting pot from whichmolten metal is discharged into the mold up against the composed line ofmatrices for the production of the type bar or slug. 7

The slug casting mold, which has been re ferred to, comprises as usual abody portion K which defines the bottom wall of the mold slot, a capportion L which defines the upper wall thereof, and the two intermediaterighthand and left-hand liners M- and N which define the end walls ofthe mold slot. The

body portion K is fastened by screws or sim-' through correspondingslots formed in the ends of the liners and the cap portion. The

cap portion L is held in place by means of. a pair of set screws Lcarried by the disk 0 and which when tightened up clamp the cap portiontightly down upon the two liners The liners M and N are formed ascustomary with transverse ribs if and N, re spectively, which fit incorresponding grooves formed in the upper face of the body portion K,these ribs serving to locate the liners in proper endwise relation tothe other parts and with their inner or casting ends in proper position.

Ordinarily the inner end of the ri ght-han d liner M is flush with thematrix engaging face the right-hand vise jaw and the same is true of thelefthand liner N and the lefthand vise jaw H when slugs of full. lengthare be gcast. In the present instance however it is proposed to extendthe mold slot beyond the ends of the composed matrix line for thereasons heretofore explained and hence the righthand liner M is cut backwith reference to its locating rib M" or made of slightly less thanstandard length, say, to the extent of a one-half em (see igs. l and 8).the liner is thus modified, the mold slot will be extended slightly tothe right and made to terminate behind the vise jaw H. In order to keepthe mold slot of standard length. .30 ems, the left-hand liner ll isextended to the same degree with refer ence to its locating rib N or, inother words, it is made a half cm longer than a standard liner. Thiswould have the effect of locating the left-hand end'of the mold slot tothe right 0" the left-hand vise jaw ll, if the latter were allowedtoreniain in its normal position, and'so in ca ying out the invention itis proposed to set the left-hand vise jaw one em further toward theright than ordinarily in order to cause it to overlap the liner theextent of one-half em, which, is the relation existing between theright-hand liner M and the right-h v ll. Such the condition illustratedin the drawings and it is in this way that the blank end portions 0 areproduced on the body portion A. of the type bar or slug. In other wordsby modifying the liners in the manner described the mold slot is made toextend beyond the ends of the composed line of matrices and to terminatebehind the vise jaws H andH in'order to produce a slug bearing a line ofprinting characters with blank portions at its opposite ends. 7

Within the extended portions of the mold slot, that is to say, beyondthe ends oil the composed matrix line and behind the Vise jaws H and H,the cap portion L is formed with a pair of fore-and-aft grooves Lextending throughout the depth of the mold slot and tapered from frontto rear and up wardly as well, these grooves thus serving to iiroducethe transverse spacing ribs D on the blank end portions C of the castslug. And, since'the grooves l are closed at the front by the vise jawsH and H, it can be soon that the depth of these grooves or the width oi?the ribs which they produce is in no way restricted by the width of themold slot proper or the thickness of the dividing wall be tween thesuperposed type producing characters on the matrices. By way of contrat;

let it be supposed that the grooves L were formed in the cap portion atpoints between the ends of the composedline: Insuch case. it willreadily be seen from Fl 7 the grooves would allow the metal to flow fromthe mold slot into the upper matrix cavities :0 due to the fact that thedividing walls m are too narrow to close the grooves at the front. Theimportance of locating the grooves beyond the ends of the lines of ma 3characters will thus be fully appreciated.

In providing for the formation of the locking notches E in the castslugs, the liners LI and N are formed on their inner or castin faceswith fore-and-aft tongues M and N'-, respectively, these tongues beingof the same dimensions as the notches which they, are intended toproduce and being located immediately adjacent the upper face of thebody portionK so as to locate the notches on the bottom side of the slugduring cast I or what becomes the preceding side of the slug when placedin a printing form. It almost goes without saying that the tongues l t land N are tapered to correspond with t 1e tapered. edges of the spacingribs D which fill in the recesses E produced by the tongues. It sohappens that the tongue M on the righthand lii er lil merges with thelocating rib lvl formed on the under side of the liner so that the twothings look as one in the draw-- ings altho functionally they aredifferent.

In the accompanying drawings the invention has been snown merely inpreferred form and by way of example, but obviously many changes andvariations may be made therein and in the mode of application wit..- ontdepartin from its spirit. Asregards the type bar, reference has alreadybeen made to the use of quads for producing the blank end portions onthe bar and which will serve when placed at the beginning and end of thecomposed line to close the rib producing grooves at the front. These andsimilar modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilledin the art.- It should be understood therefore that the invention is notlimited to any specific form modification except in sofar as suchlimitations are set forth in the claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is as follows:

1. A type bar or slug bearing on one edge a line of printing charactersand formed at its opposite ends only with transverse spacing ribsprojecting laterally therefrom. said ribs being located beyond the endsof the line of printing characters and adapted to contact with the sideface of an adjoining slug.

2. A type bar or slug comprising a main body bearing on one edge a lineof printing characters and formed with blank end portions, and a singlepair of transverse sp cing ribs projecting laterally from the respectiveblank end portions and adapted to contact *ith'the side face of anadjoining slu 3. A type bar or slug bearing on one edge a l ne ofprinting characters and formed at one side beyond the ends of thetypeline with transverse laterally projecting spacing ribs and at itsopposite side with transverse notches or recesses located in the planesof said ribs.

4. A type bar or slug comprising a main body bearing on one edge a lineof printing characters and formed with blank end portions, a pair oftransverse spacing ribs prosembled Condition.

jccting laterally from said blank end portions at one side of themain'body, and a corresponding pair of transverse notches or recessesformed in said blank end portions at the opposite side of the main body.

5. A type bar or slug bearing on one edge a line of printing charactersand formed at its opposite ends only with transverse spacmg ribsprojecting laterally therefrom, said ribs bcinglocated outside theprinting zone both lengthwise and setw'ise and adapted to contact withthe side face of an adjoining slug;

6. A type bar as incl-aim 5 characterized by the fact that it is alsoformed in the side opposite the spacing ribs with transverse notches orrecesses located in corresponding positions and made of correspondingdimensions to receive said ribs on an adjoining slug.

7., A printing form comprising a plurality of type bars or slugsarranged side by side in column formation, each of said slugs, bear inga line of printing characters and formed at its opposite ends beyond theends of vthe printing line with'transverse laterally projecting ribs tospace it from an adjoining slug, and the several slugs being formed withmutually engaging elements which prevent relative endwise movement ofthe slugs in their-assembled condition. a

8. A printing form comprising a plurality of type bars or slugs arrangedsideby side in column formation, each of said slugs hearing a line ofprinting characters and formed at its opposite ends beyond the ends ofthe printing line with transverse laterally projecting ribs to space itfrom an adjoining slug. at one side and with correspondingly located anddimensioned notches or recesses to receive thespacing ribs of anadjoining slug at the opposite side to prevent relative endwise movementof the slugs in their as- 9. A printing'form comprising a. plurality oftype bars or slugs arranged side by side in column formatiomeach of saidslugs bearing on one edge a line of printing characters and formed onone side and beyond theends of the printing line with a pair oftransverse laterallypro ecting ribs to space it from one adjoining slugand formed attheopposite side with t-pttll of correspond ngly locatedand dimensioned notches or recesses to receive the sjaacing ribs ofanother adjoining slug whereby to prevent relative endwise movement ofthe slugs in their assembled condition. f j V 10. In a slug castingmachine, the combination of a composed line of two letter matricespresenting a line of matrix characters or cavities, and. a slotted moldto cooperate with the matrix line and having its slot extending beyondthe ends of the line of matrix; characters whereby to produce a slugbearing a line of printing characters with lank portions at its oppositeends, said'inold being formed in one of its side walls witha single pairof fore-and-aft grooves located respectively beyond the ends of the lineof matrix characters to produce transverse spacing ribs on the blank endportionsof the slug.

11. In a slug casting machine, the combi ot a composed line of twoletter mat rices presenting a line of matrix characters or. cavities,and a slotted mold to cooperate with thematrix'lineand having its slotex-.

tending beyond the ends of the line of matrix characters whereby toproduce a slug bearing a-line of printingjcharacters with blank per-e, itions at its opposite ends, said mold being tongues located inthejplanesof the afore-c-J mentioned grooves to'produce transverse notches orrecesses on theblank end portions of the slug to receive thespacing ribsof an adjoining slu 7 12. In a slug casting machine, the combi- 1 nationof a composed line oftwo letter matrices, a pair of clamplng aws betweenwhich the line is justified, and a slotted mold to cooperate with thematrix line and having its slotextending beyond the ends thereof andbehind the clamping jaws. whereby to pro:- duce a slug bearing aline ofprinting characters with blank portions atits opposite ends, said moldbeing formed in one of its side walls with a pa1r of fore-and-aftgrooves located beyond the ends of the. composed matrix line and behindthe clamping jaws to produce transverse spacing ribs on the blank endportions of-the slug.

13. In a slug casting machine, the combination oi"- a; composed line oftwo letter matrices, a pair of clamping aws between which the line isjustified, anda slotted mold to cooperate with the matrix line andhaving its slot extending beyond theends-thereof and be-.

hind the clamping jaws whereby to produce a slug bearing a line ofprinting characters withblank portions at its opposite ends, said moldbeing formed in one of its side walls with a pair of fore-and-aftgrooves located beyond the ends of the composed matrix line and behindthe clamping jawsto produce transverse spacingribs on the blank endportions of the slug, and said mold presenting on its other side wallaipair of fore-and-aft tongues located in" the planes of theaforementionedgrooves to produce transverse notches or recesses on theblank end portions v of the slugto receive the spacing ribs of an adoimng slug.

14. A combination as claim 10 wherein the mold'comprisesa body portionand a cap portion defining the lower and upper walls of the mold slot,and two intermediate liners defining the end walls thereofcharacte'rized by the fact that the transverse grooves therein referredto'are formed in the cap portion of the mold.

15. A combination as claim 10 wherein'the 0 mold comprises a bodyportion and a cap portion defining the lower and upper walls of the moldslot, and two intermediate liners defining the end walls thereof,characterized by the fact that the transverse tongues therein referredto are formed upon the inner or casting faces of the linersimmediatelyadjacent the casting face of the body portion of the mold.

16. Acombination as claim 10 wherein the 0 mold comprises a body portionand a cap portion defining the lower and upper walls of 'the mold slot,and two intermediate liners defining the end walls thereof characterizedby the fact that the right-hand liner w is'made of less and theleft-hand liner of more than standard length, substantially as shownand'described.

17. A right-hand mold liner having its casting face set back withreference to the position of the casting face of a standard liner,whereby to lengthen the mold slot when the liner'is in use. i 18. In aslug casting machine, the combination of a composed line of two lettermatrices presenting a line of matrix characters or cavities, and aslotted mold to cooperate with the matrix line and having its slot of awidth corresponding substantially to the height of the matrixcharacters, say 14 pt., said mold 40 being formed in one of its sidewalls and at its opposite ends only with a pair of foreand-aft groveslocated respectively beyond the opposite ends of the line of matrixeharacters; whereby there may be produced a printing slug bearing on itsedge a line of printing characters corresponding in height to thethickness of the slug body and formed at its opposite ends only withtransverse spacing ribs projecting laterally, from the i side'face ofthe slug body at points situated beyond the endsof the line oi printingcharacters, V a, 19 A mold liner formed on its inner or casting facewith a single fore-and at't tongue orprojection extending throughout thelength of said casting face and arranged flush with one of the sidefaces of the liner body, sub stantially as shown and described. V

In testimony whereof, this specification has been duly s'ignedbyz' jTOHN RYRQGERSY EDWARD A SYTZ.

